Under Culver's three -tiered system, 14- and 15 year-olds make minimum wage, with bump of a dollar per hour at ages 16 and 17. Culver said on Sunday's "UPFRONT with Mike Gousha" most adults at the corporate locations make around $10 an hour.

"I brought it to the attention of the National Restaurant Association and different legislators," Culver said on the program, produced in a partnership with WisPolitics.com. "I guess none of them think it's a good idea, because it's never flown."

The Sauk City native stepped forward with his idea during a recent appearance on radio call-in show.

He acknowledged it may not garner universal support.

"My Republican friends might not be real happy with me," Culver said. "Honestly, the feedback I've gotten back from that show has been very, very positive."

After watching some of his employees advance from teenage workers to Culver's franchisees, Culver said he believes his industry is provides workers with opportunities for growth. He said encouragement and mentoring are as important as compensation.

"It's about leaders leading their people and developing their people along the way," said Culver. "I'm pretty proud... I believe we've done a nice job of that."

Although he said changes to the minimum wage won't change the way his company does business, Culver expressed an interest in allowing the free market to determine wages.

"I don't think there should even be a minimum wage," he said. "I believe good companies will take care of their people, and they'll prosper; I think poorer companies won't take care of their people, and they'll end up going out of business.

-- Although his bill to limit local wage ordinances stalled in the state Senate last week, state Rep. Chris Kapenga said he and Sen. Glenn Grothman will still lobby fellow legislators for support.

"I think it's the end of the session. And in the Legislature you never count on something being dead until session is actually complete," said the Delafield Republican.

According to Kapenga, the bill would limit hourly wage municipalities could pay with state tax dollars. He said he believes higher mandated wages are counter-productive.

"We want the policies that will grow jobs," Kapenga said. "This inflated wage type policy... actually has proven to reduce the overall number of jobs."

Kapenga said higher wages result in price increases, generating fewer sales and requiring cuts to employment. He rejected criticism his bill reduces local control.

"This is the essence of local control," Kapenga said. "The legislation does not say you cannot put in place an inflated wage ordinance. It says if you're going to do that... you have to make sure that your local taxpayers are paying for it."

-- Declining to comment on his personal feelings on the recent sexual abuse allegations leveled at former Assembly Majority Leader Bill Kramer, Kapenga said the unanimous vote to remove the Waukesha Republican from his post came after an eyewitness verified the abuse.

Kapenga also declined to comment on the possibility of Kramer resigning from his seat in the Assembly.

"I think his constituents are the ones responsible for that," Kapenga said.

-- Also on the program, Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, said Democrats aren't using the scandal surrounding. Kramer for political capital.

"The broader issue... is that they've had three majority leaders in the span of 14 months," Barca said. "Things are not all well in river city for the Republican Assembly Caucus."

Citing the impending retirement of at least six senior Assembly Republicans, Barca speculated his party could gain seats in upcoming races. But he wasn't confident his party could win a majority.

"To regain control, you would need a big wind at your back," Barca aid. "If we had a year like during Obama's first presidential election year, then obviously... that could happen."

Barca said the debate of minimum wage would be one of several platform issues for Democrats. He slammed Gov. Scott Walker for an "abysmal" jobs record, saying Wisconsin fell from 11th to 37th in the nation in job growth since Walker took office.

"In areas where they should be bold and imaginative -- like workforce training, job creation, venture capital -- they've been meek and mild, or non-existent," Barca said.

"People can see the real agenda is taking away local control on key issues," added the Kenosha Democrat. "What we'll point to is to say that at every turn we've given them alternatives that would have been better for the middle class and better for Wisconsin over the long term."

-- Also on the program, Gousha said the campaigns of the candidates for governor are focusing their ad dollars on parts of the state where they believe there are still persuadable voters.